Welcome, and welcome back, respectively!

To about 3,000 new graduate students, welcome to UC Berkeley! And to roughly 7,000 returning graduate students, welcome back to a new academic year.

Where have our newest master’s and doctoral students come from this year? A third are from California, 39 percent are from every other state in the U.S. (save one), and 28 percent hail from one of 69 other countries around the world.

Whether you are a new student or returning, I always mention these points as the semester begins:

First, please be responsible for your own preparations in case of an earthquake, fire, or other disaster. If you take action in advance of any need, you’ll never regret the effort. Check out the City of Berkeley’s very helpful GetReadyBerkeley website. Have a look, and do the right thing!

Second, please think twice before buying (or bringing) a car. I make use of public transit (AC Transit and BART) or use a car-sharing service when I really need a car. What is car sharing? You can learn about it on the campus Parking & Transportation website; the campus has special deals with a number of providers, including the non-profit I make use of.

Finally, please be sure to take time to browse these monthly electronic newsletters. They’re chock-full of timely announcements and useful information. These pages are an important way that the Graduate Division, and others from around the campus, share information with you. (Other ways include, of course, our website and our presence on Facebook and Twitter .

I wish you the best, this semester and beyond, in your course work, research, and teaching — and I hope you will take full advantage of the wide range of opportunities (intellectual, social, personal) that UC Berkeley and the surrounding region have to offer.